Utopia Studios is considering building a US$1 billion movie studio and hotel and entertainment complex in the Dominican Republic. The principals of the company are US financier and real estate developer Joseph Gentile, and his wife Cathy Moriarty, a Hollywood actress who received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for her role alongside Robert De Niro in the 1980 film, ?Raging Bull.? In 2002 she acted again with De Niro in the film, ?Analyze That.?
Hoy newspaper reports that President-elect Leonel Fernandez attended the Utopia Studios presentation at the Sofitel Nicolas de Ovando yesterday. Following the presentation, Fernandez said his government would provide all facilities to investors from all around the world that want to contribute to the development of the movie industry in the Dominican Republic. At present, several international films are being carried out here given the efforts of the governmental film office under filmmaker Luis Basanta. The Dominican film industry is also at a high point following the encouraging successes of comedies ?Nueba Yol? and ?Perico Ripiao?.
Hoy newspaper reports that the proposal for the movie studio would contribute to the development of film industry in the country, filming of international films, training of Dominicans for TV, films and the visual arts in general. Also proposed is the construction of a hotel resort and casino and an ambitious theme park.
On the Internet, Connecticut newspapers feature a similar proposal — US$800 million theme park, movie studio, 700-room hotel and college of the performing arts ? that was pitched for that state in fall 2003.
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/… and http://www.jerde.com/upload/…